Book Review: How Paris Became Paris by Joan DeJean

I became intrigued with How Paris Became Paris when I decided I need to read more non-fiction. Unsurprisingly, that New Year’s Resolution has stayed a resolution, with the exception of this book. While it took me a while to get used to, reading non-fiction outside of school actually turned out to be really fun. Maybe I’ll actually achieve a resolution this year… or not.

In a sentence, How Paris Became Paris documents how Paris became Paris. In quite a few sentences, Joan DeJean proves that the Parisian model for urban space was invented in the seventeenth century. As a result, Paris changed dramatically. It became the first city to start letting people in instead of keeping them out. Soon, new kinds of streets and bridges appeared in the city. Paris became a city of firsts- first city of public transportation, first walking city of Europe…

You get the point.

I have to confess, I definitely forgot over half the information I learned. Sorry! In my defense though, there’s a reason why I’m not acing history class. However, in you’re in school, think of this book as a great way to learn about the city of love while building up your non-fiction reading ability. I guarantee you’ll do at least ten percent better on the next test now that you can explain the impact of urban design on a city’s social and economic statuses. If you’re not, think of reading How Paris Became Paris as a great escape from the seemingly fictional scenarios in your everyday life. Either way, I definitely enjoyed reading this (not exactly) history book.

While I did end up forgetting a lot of it, I had a great time reading the book. Surprisingly, Joan DeJean has an engaging writing style that gets you through a major information overload. In other words, she’s not too boring. To give you an idea of what I mean, I’ve read a good amount of YA novels that were much harder to finish. On the other hand, don’t expect a totally hard-to-put-down thriller unless you are well accustomed to historical non-fiction.

All in all, I definitely enjoyed reading How Paris Became Paris. Joan DeJean presented an interesting and compelling argument about Paris that led me into an in-depth exploration of the city. While it definitely was far from my style, How Paris Became Paris was a great read. Definitely buy this book or get your paws on it somehow.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (March 4, 2014)

Length: 320 pages (Hardcover)

Source: Netgalley

ISBN #: 9781608195916

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